S improvement



UNITED STATES T'PATENT @Erica THOMAS E. M. WHITE, OF NEW BEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS.

BMPROVEMENT IN ARTHFICIAL LEGS.

Specilication forming part of Letters Patent No. 35,723, dated June 24, 18H52.

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, TrroMAs E. M. WHITE, of New Bedford, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement on an Artiiicial Leg; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this speciiication, in which- Figure lis a perspective view of the socket and mechanism of the leg. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the case or covering of the socket, and gives form to the upper portion of the leg. Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the knee-cap and elastics.

My invention consists in a perfectly-ventilated socket, a ratchet and catch in the kneejoint, and a lever for operating the same.

In Fig. 1, A' is the socket, made of canvas, extending from the knee-joint (from p to 19') and fastened to the steel band I', which isriveted to steel braces c c' mx and other steel braces quilted into the canvas. b' is a spring riveted atthe back to brace w', to the front end of which is attached the ratchet B' by means of a pin. z' is a seinicircnlar hoop, held in position by cross-bar r' and plate s', 'extending from x' to x', on which the ratchet slides when drawn down by the catch. C' is the part extending from the knee to the anklejoint. This part is constructed of steel rods and braces d' d', Snc., and is hinged to the socket at a a.` D' is a lever for springing in the upper end of the catch 7c'. This lever has a projection or cog, l', on the front side of it, and is hinged at one end to bar m', and the other end is connected with a movable hingejoint by means of steel rod 0' to the catch la'. Bar m' not only supports D', but prevents the rods al d' from spreading. E is areciprocating rod, made square at the lower end and passing through a square box, (to which rods d d' and 7L' are tirmly attached.) It is fastened at the bottoni to shaft G', the upper end touching the lower side of the projection Z' on lever D'. F, is a spring fastened to the frame of the foot and connected with the rods t' t' by the rod i'. The rods t' t' are held in place by the arm n. J is the foot, made of cork, and needs no further specification.

In Fig. 2, A2 is the case or covering of the socket, made of wire-gauze to secure lightness, give form to the leg, and also to facilitate ventilation. It is fastened to the lower part, B2, which maybe made of gutta-percha, vnlcanized rubber, or any strong light material, and is secured in place at the knee-joint by the parts (tz c2 and sewing the upper part to the top of the socket. It is represented by the lines h h in Fig. l. C? represents the case or covering of the lower part of the leg. It can be made of any strong light material. The steel braces 112.112 are fastened to thc covering, and hold it in place by being secured at their upper ends to the knee and at their lower ends to the ankle-joint.

In Fig. 3 A3, is the k nee-cap, which is hinged to the knee-joint at a3 a3 and attached to the upper and lower parts of the leg by the elastics b3 if', as shown in Fig. 1.

Operation: rIhe several parts of the artificial leg being constructed as herein specitied and described and adjusted as herein set forth, its peculiar novelty and operation may be noted. When the weight of the body rests on the ankle-joint, the spiral spring g'is compressed and the recip-rocating rod E' is forced against the projection Z' on lever D', forcing it backward and springing in catch k till brought in contact with the teeth of the ratchet. Vhen the weight ofthe body is carried forward and the heel is raised from the ground, the weight is changed from the anklejoint to spring F', when the spiral spring g' regains its former position and the catch 7c is released.

In this invention I do not claim or desire to claim any device previously invented or patented for artificial legs, but y Vhat I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A perfectly-Ventilated and pliable socket constructed of steel braces covered with can- Vas and surrounded by Wire-gauze, as described.

2. A ratchet and catch inthe knee-joint, as Set forth.

3. A lever for bringing the catch in contact with the ratchet by means of the weight of the body, and liberating it, as specified.

TH. E. M. VHITE.

`Witnessesz TH. B. WHITE, NVM. C. MACY. 

